“Be Kind to Your Mind” conference on May 15, 2025

On May 15, 2025, individuals from all walks of life are invited to attend the Southeast Minnesota Community Mental Health and Wellness conference "Be Kind to Your Mind." The goal of the conference, hosted by the Southeast Minnesota Adult Mental Health Initiative, is for people to come together to collaborate toward understanding, education, and destigmatization of mental health issues. 

Event details 

• What: "Be Kind to Your Mind” conference 
• Date: May 15, 2025 (begins at 8:30 a.m.) 
• Where: International Event Center at 7333 Airport View Dr. SW. in Rochester 
• Cost: Free! 
• Registration for the event is required. 

Community members attending the event will unite in addressing the spectrum of mental health and wellness. With an understanding that everyone's journey is unique, the conference seeks to highlight the diverse approaches to achieving and maintaining mental well-being.  

Keynote speaker John Moe start the conference at 9 a.m. Moe, a podcast host and author on mental health topics, will speak about how significant portions of the American population are dealing with depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. However, he believes we should be optimistic about the future of mental health. 

The conference will offer various sessions to help improve mental health and well-being. Attendees can learn about race-based traumatic stress, the journey of someone’s experiences with trauma, accelerated resolution therapy, and autism in the East African community.  

There will also be a panel discussion with the Mayo Clinic EmPATH Unit. EmPATH is a model of care to serve the needs of emergency behavioral health for adults and children. The Mayo Clinic unit will talk about the enhanced model of care, expected patient outcomes, and benefits to the community. 

The conference will close with a sound therapy workshop with musician Sarah Souder Johnson. This session will aim to help attendees identify ways to use music to address their own mental health and wellness. 

Questions? 

If you have any questions about the Southeast Minnesota Community Mental Health and Wellness conference, please contact events4mentalhealth@olmstedcounty.gov.